Education Business

The London 2012 Young Leaders Programme has been launched to allow disadvantaged young people from across the UK to contribute to the delivery of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The programme aims to allow young people to make a positive change to their lives and local communities through volunteering opportunities based around BP’s four main hub locations of Hull, Aberdeen, Canary Wharf and Sunbury-on-Thames.

The selected young leaders will take part in a training programme designed to improve their communication and leadership skills, with training delivered at a local, regional and national level through workshops, mentoring programmes and events.

They will receive coaching support and guidance from 100 BP employees and high profile athlete mentors of whom many are Olympians and Paralympians.

They will also develop and deliver a range of volunteering opportunities in their local community working with the programmes’ delivery partners of v, The National Young Volunteers Service and the Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust.

100 selected young leaders, who need to be 16 years old by 1 January 2010, will recruit and engage other young people from their local area to support their community activities and promote London 2012-related activities in their local area.
 
The selected young leaders who complete the programme, which takes place between April 2010 and September 2012, will get the chance to take part in the London 2012 volunteer programme and will be chosen by Local Authorities based on their commitment to the programme and potential to benefit from it.

Chair of London 2012, Seb Coe said: "The London 2012 Young Leaders project fits clearly with our vision of engaging and inspiring young people."

"Volunteering is not only an integral part of creating positive change in communities and developing skills in young people, but also essential to the success of the Games."

Further information:
Young Leaders Programme